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Suggestion for cut vinyl wall lettering

Pideas

New Member
I'm looking for a suggestion for basic interior wall lettering for a customer. Approximate size is around 30x60". Can I go with the Oracal 631 or is it better to go with the Oracal 651? Someone also recommended the Avery HP750 material. We don't do many of these types of projects. We would use our Summa cutter to cut. Any recommendations?
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
lot's of options out there, you will want to take a few samples and test on the actual wall to know which will work best.
 

DanTheMan

New Member
I'm looking for a suggestion for basic interior wall lettering for a customer. Approximate size is around 30x60". Can I go with the Oracal 631 or is it better to go with the Oracal 651? Someone also recommended the Avery HP750 material. We don't do many of these types of projects. We would use our Summa cutter to cut. Any recommendations?

Generally speaking, I would recommend Oracal 631 for this application over the 651 series. The 631 has a nice matte finish which I think would look better for interior wall lettering. It also has a removable water-based adhesive, so if they eventually want to remove it, it'll be easier to remove than the 651 which has a permanent solvent based adhesive. The 631 is a popular choice for people who do decorative wall graphics.
I'm not really familiar with HP750 so I can't offer any comment on that one.
 

Pideas

New Member
Generally speaking, I would recommend Oracal 631 for this application over the 651 series. The 631 has a nice matte finish which I think would look better for interior wall lettering. It also has a removable water-based adhesive, so if they eventually want to remove it, it'll be easier to remove than the 651 which has a permanent solvent based adhesive. The 631 is a popular choice for people who do decorative wall graphics.
I'm not really familiar with HP750 so I can't offer any comment on that one.
I actually stock the 631 but i was not going to use it because it was only an "exhibition" vinyl. The client may have this lettering up for a few years. I agree though, I like the matte finish vs the gloss finish of the 651.
 

Jester1167

Premium Subscriber
Adhesion on walls painted walls is typically poor and I would suggest the best cast vinyl. Wall paint has an orange peel texture and if the vinyl shrinks at all, it will only be in contact with the high spots. Unless you have a huge wall and you know what paint they used, it's cheaper to spend $10 more on cast vinyl, then to have to go back, troubleshoot and possibly replace it...

I wouldn't worry about not peeling paint when it is time to remove it. 95 times out of 100 some paint will come off no matter what you use. It has more to do with the quality of the paint job. Everywhere there are mud joints the paint will fail.

My 2 cents for what it's worth.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Adhesion on walls painted walls is typically poor and I would suggest the best cast vinyl. Wall paint has an orange peel texture and if the vinyl shrinks at all, it will only be in contact with the high spots. Unless you have a huge wall and you know what paint they used, it's cheaper to spend $10 more on cast vinyl, then to have to go back, troubleshoot and possibly replace it...

I wouldn't worry about not peeling paint when it is time to remove it. 95 times out of 100 some paint will come off no matter what you use. It has more to do with the quality of the paint job. Everywhere there are mud joints the paint will fail.

My 2 cents for what it's worth.

I agree. Cast really is the only thing that sticks well...once you heat it of course.
 

Lindsey

Not A New Member
I'd avoid the Avery HP750. It's made with a glossy finish now. Go with a cast film, a matte finish if you can find one, and be sure to post heat. The Avery cast translucent series (UC 900) is cast & matte, might be a nice choice (but only if the wall is white).
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
We use 651 in art galleries 10-12 times year, very small intricate text, paragraphs and titles, and apply it to the walls. We print right on the 651 for custom PMS colors, no lamination since it's indoors, and it give it a satin look when printed on our HP Latex printer. 651 is incredibly easy to weed which is a huge benefit for using this vinyl. Been doing this method for 10 years and never have had lettering come off the walls.
 

Pideas

New Member
We use 651 in art galleries 10-12 times year, very small intricate text, paragraphs and titles, and apply it to the walls. We print right on the 651 for custom PMS colors, no lamination since it's indoors, and it give it a satin look when printed on our HP Latex printer. 651 is incredibly easy to weed which is a huge benefit for using this vinyl. Been doing this method for 10 years and never have had lettering come off the walls.

When you say you print onto the 651, do you just purchase the white vinyl and print onto it? I'm not completely familiar with the product but I thought it was just a colored cut vinyl material.
 

AndyN

New Member
Can't answer for Sinclairgraphics1, but I used to print on white 651 a lot, but it is temperamental without a good lead. At least in my 365.
 

MikePatterson

Head bathroom cleaner.
A cast film with a matte finish if the wall has large texture or the film is going to be on the wall for long period of time ( greater than 6 months). If its slick wall 631 for short term usage.

Get a 3m test kit or make your own with some fishing weights.
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
When you say you print onto the 651, do you just purchase the white vinyl and print onto it? I'm not completely familiar with the product but I thought it was just a colored cut vinyl material.
Yes, we literally print on the white 651 rolls. Doing that today for a large exhibition. It prints beautifully. No need to use colored cut vinyl when we can color match everything to PMS colors for wall vinyl. We of course still use the colored cut vinyl for glass, etc but most the time we don't need to since we print on it. Like I said, weeding it is so easy compared to an air release film.
 

signheremd

New Member
You've already gotten plenty of good advice on the vinyl, but one thing to find out from your client is when was the wall painted. Latex paint is not fully cured until it is 30 days or more old. If something was painted within that time frame, the likelihood of vinyl failure is higher.
 

WhiskeyDreamer

Professional Snow Ninja
And get yourself a rivet brush if this is going on a painted wall. After application, hit the entire thing with a rivet brush to make sure it stays stuck.
 

Krittah

New Member
Since you have 631 already, you may as well test it out first. I pretty much sell 631 exclusively for customer DIY interior wall installs. Occasionally they have problems but it’s rare. The 631 looks great for many more years than it’s rated for, and mostly removes easily. Removal does have more to do with the quality of paint underneath. The main problem I’m seeing with 631 is availability right now. Oracal can’t keep up and many colors are near impossible to get these days. I’m starting to look into MACal 8900 as a back up option but have yet to try it.
 

victor bogdanov

Active Member
Since you have 631 already, you may as well test it out first. I pretty much sell 631 exclusively for customer DIY interior wall installs. Occasionally they have problems but it’s rare. The 631 looks great for many more years than it’s rated for, and mostly removes easily. Removal does have more to do with the quality of paint underneath. The main problem I’m seeing with 631 is availability right now. Oracal can’t keep up and many colors are near impossible to get these days. I’m starting to look into MACal 8900 as a back up option but have yet to try it.

I use lots of 30" 631 , 20-30 rolls per week and the shortages are killing me. Switched to 24" rolls, had to redo lots of files etc. Now 24" is all gone.

I'm told mid-late February they should have the shortage under control but I remember them saying same thing every month.


Where would you purchase the MACal 8900 matte? I can't seem to find anyone selling it
 
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